WH602 - Vidlin, Shetland

Shetland is known for its unique culture, beautiful landscapes and relentless weather. For the owners of this family croft in Vidlin, the ambition was to create a contemporary home that would sit easily within the landscape while meeting modern standards of comfort and energy performance.

After considering a number of designs, they chose the WH502. Inspired by the traditional Scottish whitehouse, its white rendered walls, slate roof and carefully balanced proportions provide a strong connection to the architecture of island life. The form is so convincing that visitors have insisted the house must be more than a century old, unconvinced that it is a recently completed HebHome. That is taken as a considerable compliment.

Behind the traditional exterior is a highly insulated modern building. Its airtight envelope minimises heat loss caused by the wind—a significant source of energy use in much of the Northern Isles’ older housing stock—and helps maintain a warm, comfortable internal environment throughout Shetland’s demanding seasons.

The approximately 150m² layout provides generous, light-filled family accommodation. A farmhouse-style kitchen and dining area occupy the main whitehouse, while a timber-clad extension creates a separate vaulted sitting room at the gable end. Large windows and rooflights bring daylight deep into the house and connect its principal rooms with the surrounding croft.

Construction was also a family undertaking, with the owner’s father, a retired builder, helping to complete the house.

As the owners explain: “The WH502 has given us a modern family home that also fits with the landscape. We are very happy with our modern classic home.”